News

The “NIOSA Pop-Up Crafters Store” is now open in Bldg. 20 in La Villita, near the corner of Presa and Nueva. The NIOSA Crafters—volunteers who make NIOSA and general Fiesta-type wares—are selling their arts and crafts; advance discount NIOSA tickets (as of March 1), the 2016 NIOSA medal and souvenirs; past NIOSA posters, medals and mementos; and select other Fiesta medals in the shop, with all proceeds benefitting the San Antonio Conservation Society.

The “NIOSA Crafters” met 10 years ago and discovered they loved creating unique items to sell. Three years ago they decided to make and sell their creations to benefit the Conservation Society. Starting with booth at NIOSA, they now have a “real home” in Building 20 in La Villita. Linda Skop, who is the driving force and paints the Missions, carts and piggy banks, is joined by:

Gathering of approximately 20+ volunteers from the Cascarónes Committee to decorate and stuff cascarónes, and the Decorations Committee to create flowers and other decorations used at NIOSA on booths, etc. Committees meet at the River House - behind Steves Homestead, 509 King William.

MARCH 8 UNTIL SUPPLIES ARE GONE:

NIOSA MEDAL: Produced in limited quantities and always a hot seller, the 2016 NIOSA medal is on sale for $10 at the NIOSA Crafters Store in La Villita, on the NIOSA website; and NIOSA’s souvenir booths. It was designed by NIOSA Chairman, Patti Zaiontz.

MARCH 1 THROUGH TUESDAY, APRIL 12:

Discount tickets are available online at www.niosa.org (additional $.50 service charge) through April 12.

Patti Zaiontz has been elected by the San Antonio Conservation Society as its Fourth Vice President, with the primary responsibility of chairing the 68th presentation of the Conservation Society’s “A Night In Old San Antonio®” (NIOSA®), to be held Tuesday through Friday evenings, April 19-22, 2016 during the city’s Fiesta San Antonio® celebration.
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OVERVIEW

Beginning with efforts to preserve such unique features as the city's four Spanish Colonial Missions (now the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park), the San Antonio Conservation Society has been responsible for saving many of the historic attractions that now make San Antonio one of the top tourist destinations in Texas.

NIOSA 2016 Food and Entertainment.doc“A Night In Old San Antonio®” brings the heritage of San Antonio alive in 15 cultural areas through 250 food, drink and atmosphere booths and 12 musical acts

“A Night In Old San Antonio®” (NIOSA®) is a four-night festival in the heart of downtown San Antonio that celebrates the city’s diverse cultural legacy for more than 85,000 revelers annually.

Sponsored by and benefiting the San Antonio Conservation Society, the 68th presentation of NIOSAwill be held April 19-22, 2016, during the city’s Fiesta San Antonio® celebration.

Through the magic of more than 250 food, drink and atmosphere booths, 12 live musical acts, children’s games, decorations, costumed volunteers and souvenirs, NIOSA brings the city’s heritage alive in its 15 areas. Check NIOSA’s website and mobile website for a complete list of all food, entertainment and drinks, by area. A map of these 15 areas can be found on the NIOSA website at http://www.niosa.org/EventMap.aspx.

Continuing its efforts as one of the top Green events during Fiesta, guests should look for recycle bins in each of NIOSA’s 15 areas and join in the Pitch for Preservation and help the Society Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. At the 2015 NIOSA, there were 15.8 tons of recyclable materials, as well as 9.2 tons of recyclable glass was collected and recycled.

New this year: the “NIOSA Crafters Store” is now open in Bldg. 20 in La Villita, near the corner of Presa and Nueva. The NIOSA Crafters—volunteers who make NIOSA and general Fiesta-type wares—are selling their arts and crafts; advance discount NIOSA tickets (as of March 1), the 2016 NIOSA medal and souvenirs; past NIOSA posters, medals and mementos and select other Fiesta medals in the shop, with all proceeds benefitting the San Antonio Conservation Society.

Arneson Theatre

Entertainment is the focal point of the historic Arneson River Theatre, a venue for musical shows year-round on the San Antonio River Walk. The open-air theater was built as a Works Progress Administration project during the 1930s. Grab a bite to eat, have a seat on the grass covered steps of the theatre and sing along to the great tunes as

Porch of NIOSA headquarters on NIOSA grounds, corner of Presa and Nueva streets

NIOSA Chairman Patti Zaiontz, NIOSA’s vice chairmen, treasurer, and stagers will continue the decades-long tradition of raising the Rain Rock every year, to ward off undesirable weather. The rain rock tradition dates back to the late 1970s when NIOSA volunteer Sue Armitage assured then NIOSA chairman Joanna Parrish, who was fretting about ominous clouds, that she had hung a rain rock on their fence at home. Sue learned the good luck tradition while visiting a West Texas ranch as a child; a seasoned cowboy shared the secret of hanging a rock with a hole in it on a fence to ward off bad weather. That year, Joanna took her advice, and NIOSA was blessed with beautiful weather. Patsy Torres, who will again appear at NIOSA every night with her band Blue Harmony in the Haymarket Area, will provide rock-raising music.

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